Wednesday, 16 December 2015

Paris Chateau Built in Honour of Louis the Great Becomes Most Expensive Property in the World After Selling for $301MILLION

A French mansion which almost hosted the wedding of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West has become the most expensive property ever sold at a staggering $301million (£200million).

The Chateau Louis XIV was completed in 2011 but bares all the hallmarks, furniture and decor of an opulent 17th Century estate.

Located between Versailles and Marly-le-Roi on 57 acres of lush, walled off greenery, its sale price eclipsed that of the previous record holder - a $221million (£147million) London penthouse.

Two people close to the sale said the mansion was sold to a Middle Eastern buyer, in a deal brokered by Christie’s International Real Estate, Bloomberg revealed today.

The property boasts a lavish ballroom, underground nightclub, a cavernous wine cellar, a squash court, home cinema and an underwater room complete with fishes swimming inside the transparent walls.

It is finished with stunning gold features, marble floors and intricate murals akin to Michelangelo's masterpiece in the Sistine Chapel.

Marble was used to create the delicate marquetry for the floors, mosaics for the garden, bathroom tiles and even a statue of former French monarch Louis XIV, or Louis the Great, who ruled the country for a record 72 years.

Every corner of the mansion, nestled in an authentic green setting, is consistent with the standards of 17th Century luxury.

From the flower beds with embroidered box hedges to the yew trees trimmed into small pyramids and the grand staircase, the chateau, renovated by Saudi businessman, screams French opulence.

These plots were cleared in the 18th Century by a royal regiment tasked with excavating it. It was during this time that Louis XIV decided to build a palace in Marly-le-Roi, a place where he could retreat to.

In 1888, the owner at the time, Charles-Emile Clerc, demolished the buildings which had stood largely unchanged since Louis' rule - and subsequent death in 1715.

Finally, in 2008, Emad Khashoggi decided to undertake an unprecedented project. Inspired by 17th Century architecture, he restored the property to its noble heritage.